23 November 2008
The Ban Bus
29/11/08 12:18
During the week our friends John and Mette stayed
with us. They were travelling through Finland with
the Ban Bus, on the way to Norway for the signing of
the Convention on Cluster Munitions on the 3rd. On
their 10,000 km journey, they stopped in many
countries to raise awareneness, meet interested
parties, and advocate for countries to sign the
convention.
Cluster bombs need to be banned as they leave around 20% of bomblets unexploded on the ground. This ruins the land for civilians for a long time afterwards, causing fatalities and poverty. Cleaning up the unexploded bombs is left for others to do - someone else's problem.
It was interesting to hear John and Kevin talk to the Finnish defense ministry when they visited Parliament. They are certainly not pacifists - they recommend that the military use larger, more accurate, and more forceful munitions to attack their targets. They are simply pointing out the futility of using cluster munitions and the large effect on civilians.
Max and Viivu took part in one demonstration in Helsinki, lying still on the ground to demonstrate the kill zone of a cluster bomb.
Most people will agree with them, but some countries argued that they needed them for defense - i.e, only if attacked. Using cluster munitions on your own land is surely a poorly thought-through tactic. An example given in Finland was that cluster bombing ruins your forest industry - bombs get caught in the treetops, trees get filled with shrapnel (so you can't use chainsaws) and of course the area becomes a no-go zone due to the unexploded ordinance. The land is essentially lost.
The Ban Bus crew is well credentialed to talk on these matters - they've been to plenty of war zones to report and help out (most recently Georgia, where both sides used cluster bombs whilst denying they were), they've defused or disposed of plenty of mines and bombs, spoken to many civilian victims, and spoken to military and government opponents and proponents at all levels. The crew collectively has many years of military, NGO, and journalistic experience. They also collectively have an odd number of limbs.
Apart from their cause, it was a pleasure and a privilege having the Ban Bus crew around, and fantastic to see John again after failing so many times to catch up in Australia. Hopefully we'll see John and Mette in Norway next summer.
More reading:
The Ban Bus
Cluster bombs
John and Mette watch Kevin as he speaks of his 24 years in the British Army and how if he thought banning cluster bombs would disadvantage any British troop then he wouldn’t be part of this movement.
John at Parliament House explaining how, when they started helping farmers by detonating any unexploded cluster bombs (including those next to their buildings), the farmers stopped notifying them and started removing the bombs themselves, with fatal results for them and tragic results for their dependents. Cluster bombs can only rarely be deactivated, they normally have to be detonated in situ.
Mette, John, Kevin, Daniel and Davor, leaving for Sweden. Two countries to go!
Cluster bombs need to be banned as they leave around 20% of bomblets unexploded on the ground. This ruins the land for civilians for a long time afterwards, causing fatalities and poverty. Cleaning up the unexploded bombs is left for others to do - someone else's problem.
It was interesting to hear John and Kevin talk to the Finnish defense ministry when they visited Parliament. They are certainly not pacifists - they recommend that the military use larger, more accurate, and more forceful munitions to attack their targets. They are simply pointing out the futility of using cluster munitions and the large effect on civilians.
Max and Viivu took part in one demonstration in Helsinki, lying still on the ground to demonstrate the kill zone of a cluster bomb.
Most people will agree with them, but some countries argued that they needed them for defense - i.e, only if attacked. Using cluster munitions on your own land is surely a poorly thought-through tactic. An example given in Finland was that cluster bombing ruins your forest industry - bombs get caught in the treetops, trees get filled with shrapnel (so you can't use chainsaws) and of course the area becomes a no-go zone due to the unexploded ordinance. The land is essentially lost.
The Ban Bus crew is well credentialed to talk on these matters - they've been to plenty of war zones to report and help out (most recently Georgia, where both sides used cluster bombs whilst denying they were), they've defused or disposed of plenty of mines and bombs, spoken to many civilian victims, and spoken to military and government opponents and proponents at all levels. The crew collectively has many years of military, NGO, and journalistic experience. They also collectively have an odd number of limbs.
Apart from their cause, it was a pleasure and a privilege having the Ban Bus crew around, and fantastic to see John again after failing so many times to catch up in Australia. Hopefully we'll see John and Mette in Norway next summer.
More reading:
The Ban Bus
Cluster bombs
John and Mette watch Kevin as he speaks of his 24 years in the British Army and how if he thought banning cluster bombs would disadvantage any British troop then he wouldn’t be part of this movement.
John at Parliament House explaining how, when they started helping farmers by detonating any unexploded cluster bombs (including those next to their buildings), the farmers stopped notifying them and started removing the bombs themselves, with fatal results for them and tragic results for their dependents. Cluster bombs can only rarely be deactivated, they normally have to be detonated in situ.
Mette, John, Kevin, Daniel and Davor, leaving for Sweden. Two countries to go!
School Journeys
26/11/08 13:24
Now that there is snow, we have a different way of
getting to school. Very good cross training for
mummy.
Max sliding down our street.
Max sliding down our street.
Snow snow and more snow
24/11/08 09:44
Took a while to dig out the car this morning. Felix
was very helpful.
Max had a bit of snow at school today too.
Max had a bit of snow at school today too.
Snowstorm
23/11/08 19:52
Wow. The snow has arrived. And more is falling all
the time and the forecast for the rest of the week is
... snow.
We had a great day. We went into the city and watched as the Aleksanterinkatu Christmas street was lite up. There was also a Christmas parade. It was very cold and very snowy. Tomorrow I have to go the shops and get some proper winter gear for the boys ie long johns and woolen socks.
The boxers are not at all sure about the snow. Coco quite likes it and is a total goose in it. Jerry is not at all that keen. We went for a walk and in parts the snow was up to Jerry’s belly and past. Needless to say, he was not that impressed.
The boys have been making snow angels and are loving the snow. They have also eaten lots of snow.
Photo of us at Senate Square waiting for the Christmas Parade.
Coco trying to figure out what this snow is about.
Felix and Max all rugged up.
Roley was nice and warm too.
We had a great day. We went into the city and watched as the Aleksanterinkatu Christmas street was lite up. There was also a Christmas parade. It was very cold and very snowy. Tomorrow I have to go the shops and get some proper winter gear for the boys ie long johns and woolen socks.
The boxers are not at all sure about the snow. Coco quite likes it and is a total goose in it. Jerry is not at all that keen. We went for a walk and in parts the snow was up to Jerry’s belly and past. Needless to say, he was not that impressed.
The boys have been making snow angels and are loving the snow. They have also eaten lots of snow.
Photo of us at Senate Square waiting for the Christmas Parade.
Coco trying to figure out what this snow is about.
Felix and Max all rugged up.
Roley was nice and warm too.